Margit Sandemo - The Ice People 34 - The Woman on the Beach

“Well yes,” the peasant replied slowly. “We have to assume that much has been added or improved over the centuries.”

“Undoubtedly,” said Diderik acidly. “Well, my fellow travellers: are you scared?”

“Not I,” said the priest. “I have God as my companion.”

“You, Havgrim. Are you hesitating?”

The young man shook his head.

“Very well,” said Diderik Swerd. “Dear sir, thank you for this entertaining tall story, which you have told well. However, my companions and I shan’t be taking the long route back to Mora. After a good night’s sleep, we’ll travel through the wilderness and up to Härjedalen.”

The peasant sighed. “I see that I can’t deter you. If that’s the case, you shall have our goat girl as a guide during the first part. Nobody knows the forest like her, and sorcery has never bothered her. Wife, will you fetch her?”

Diderik giggled. “A goat girl is bound to be good company for men like us.”

The peasant kept a straight face. He waited until his wife returned with the goat girl.

Diderik Swerd stared open-mouthed. She wasn’t exactly the girl of his dreams! She wasn’t a day younger than sixty, bent from toil and hardship, and riven with fear for the cattle in this forest full of dangerous predators.

“This is Barbro,” said the peasant. “I see you were expecting a younger version. Barbro came to my father’s farm years ago, alone and orphaned. Are you sure, Barbro, that you can lead these men past Vargaby at a safe distance and put them on the road that takes them to Lillhärdal and Sweden?”

Barbro nodded and said a long string of words they didn’t understand at all.

Diderik got to his feet so that they could see how impressively tall he was, “No, stop! We must have a guide that we understand!”

“I’m sorry, gentlemen,” Barbro said. “In my youth, I served my master’s sister when she married and moved to Gagnef. I still remember the peculiar language they speak there.”

Diderik was satisfied, albeit still with a tiny, mocking twinkle in his eye that marked his condescension towards his peasant host and hostess. “Very well. Then we’ll say goodnight and retire for the night. Doubtless I could have asked for a servant girl to warm my bed, but I’m too tired this evening. We’ll leave before the sun rises tomorrow morning.”

The peasant nodded. He followed the men with his eyes when the other two got up with Diderik to go to their bedroom in another building on the farm. As they passed the peasant, he met the gaze of the third member, who was full of sympathy and compassion. It said a lot about Havgrim’s knowledge of human nature: he had grasped who had the right disposition and the most humanity in the room.

That look touched the peasant and made him grateful.

A new group of travellers rumbled along the corridor outside André’s room. He put away the notebook and rested his eyes while he waited for the new arrivals to be quiet.

Outside the window, the moon had risen, throwing a cold glow into the room. André got to his feet and closed the curtains.

Half an hour later, the place was quiet and he could resume reading.

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